Streamy Awards Honor The Best In Web Series

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On March 28, stars gathered at the Wadsworth Theater in Westwood to celebrate the best in television from 2008 - or rather, the best in television produced specifically for the web. For the first time, web series were front and center at an all-out extravaganza sponsored by Kodak and Episodic, and to judge by the turnout and the enthusiasm, the first annual Streamy Awards will stream again.

The belle of the ball was unquestionably Felicia Day, who has made a name for herself in the webseries community with her performances as Penny in the Joss Whedon crowd favorite "Dr. Horrible's Sing-a-Long Blog" and "Codex in The Guild," which she also writes. A somewhat flustered Miss Day scooped up multiple prizes including Best Ensemble Cast and Best Actress in a Comedy Webseries for "The Guild," which also took home the Streamy for Best Comedy Series. She thanked her boyfriend Patrick multiple times, as well as her absent co-producer, Kim Evey, and all the fans who supported "The Guild" in its first season, before thanking the casting directors out there who rejected her horribly, inspiring her to pick up a pen and write her own ticket.

To no one's great surprise the other star of the evening was Whedon's "Dr. Horrible," which won prizes in Best Comedy Directing, Best Comedy Writing (presented by the president of the Writer's Guild of American West, Patrick Verone), and the Audience Choice Award. The genius musical-comedy webseries also won the awards for editing, cinematography, and music at the Streamy Craft Awards the previous Thursday. A bearded Whedon and co-writer Maurissa Tancharoen were in attendance along with Neil Patrick Harris, who collected his Streamy for Best Actor in a Comedy Webseries with praise for co-star Day, and a quick dig at fellow nominee Nathan Fillion (Captain Hammer).

"I would say Nathan [Fillion] is the nicest, most genuine guy - but that would be a lie. He's a dick. And he pads his junk," joked Harris.

Though it may seem hard to believe, webseries other than "Dr. Horrible" and "The Guild" were honored. Felicia Day and Guild co-star Sandeep Parikh presented the first Streamy for Best Reality Webseries to "The Shatner Project." Blake Calhoun won Best Directing in a Dramatic Webseries with his series "Pink." Alex Albrect picked up Best Webseries Host for "Project Lore," while Best Hosted Webseries went to "Epic Fu." "Alive in Bagdhad" took home the Streamy for Best News/Politics Webseries, and the Battlestar Galactica series "The Face of the Enemy" nabbed the prizes for Best Dramatic Writing, Best Dramatic Actor (Alessandro Juliani), and Best Dramatic Webseries. Writer and producer Jane Espenson rolled out a long list of thank yous as she collected the awards.

Movie star Rosario Dawson won the Best Dramatic Actress Streamy for her work on "Gemini Division," and Paul Rudd was honored as a guest star on "Wainy Days." Best Animation went to "The Meth Minute 39," and there was even an award for best ad integration - which went to the Sklar Brothers for their show "Back on Topps." Lisa Kudrow, who starred in her own webseries "Web Therapy," went off script and raised hell for the person manning the teleprompter as she presented the final award of the evening, the Audience Choice Award. Much like at their older ceremony counterparts, a few interim productions were prepared, including a hilarious video on how to make your own Streamy-nominated web series. (The formula includes casting Felicia Day and hiring a celebrity to direct.)

The entire production went smoothly, with only one or two hiccups, remarkable for a first-time outing. Everyone looked like they were having the time of their lives, and even the casts of the series not nominated rolled out to celebrate their peers. We can't wait for next year's Streamy Awards!